Page 28 of The Way We Score

“Oh my gah! Look at them!” Dylan cries, oblivious to our teasing.

Running around to where we’re standing, she shows us a text from Zane.

Zane

Logan’s getting a lap dance from two hot blonds.

She hits the trianglePlaybutton on the face, and music blasts. My eyes widen, and I’m almost afraid to look.

Logan sits in a chair with a very uncomfortable expression on his face, but when they all burst into cheers and cat-calls, I lean closer to see.

Sure enough, two blonds in gold, metallic hot pants and shiny white-satin crop tops flank him. One twirls around behind the chair, holding his head back against her chest. The other in front straddles his legs and thrusts, hopping closer and closer to him in time with the music.

My brow furrows, and I notice they’re shaped oddly for women. Their waists don’t curve, and their shoulders are too broad… and one has a beard.

“It’s Craig and Garrett!” I shriek.

They’re wearing their blond wigs from when they dance on the bar at Thursday Dare Nights. Craig is behind Logan, sliding his hands up and down Logan’s chest, and Garrett puts his finger on his lips, acting coy.

Logan’s hands rise, and he looks like he’ll try to escape by pushing them away.

Garrett is quick to stop him. “No touching! Those are the rules!” He’s using a fake-feminine voice, and we’re all screaming-laughing.

Garrett’s knees bend, and he tries to sit on Logan’s lap without success. “Don’t sit on me, you big ape!” Logan yells. “You’ll break my legs!”

“Rude!” Garrett’s expression is offended, and he straightens at once, turning to shake his ass in Logan’s face.

We’re still cheering, and I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Oh, my God, I love him.” I say it on a laugh-induced exhale, and the room falls quiet.

I look around, and four pairs of eyes stare at me expectantly.

“It’s an expression!” I cry. “I just meant I love his sense of humor!”

“Oh, sure. It’s an expression. Don’t be uncool.” Dylan’s words are a little slurry, and I can tell she’s hitting a wall. “But if you really meant youlovehim, that would be okay, too.”

She leans hard into me, and I glance up at Rachel and Allie. “I’d better get the bride-to-be home before we all get in trouble when she can’t make it to the wedding.”

“We’ll clean up, and I’ve got the keys to lock up the restaurant.” Allie scoops up the paper plates.

“I can help!” Raven skips around to gather up the leftover pizza. “I’m staying at the house, so it’s no problem.”

“How will you two get home?” I pause, considering Allie and Rachel do not live in walking distance. “I don’t think I should drive anybody anywhere.”

“It’s all good,” Allie waves before collecting theempty cups. “Austin agreed to pull chaperone duty for the night. I just have to text him.”

“He’s hanging out at our place with Eddie.” Rachel adds. “WatchingPool Sharks.”

“In that case.” I wave, pulling Dylan’s arm around my shoulder. “I’ll see you all tomorrow at Miss Gina’s.”

We’re out the door heading up the hill when my quasi-little-sister rouses.

“Oh no!” She lifts her chin, looking around us in the dark. “Did I fall asleep at my bachelorette party?”

“No! You just had a little too much jet fuel.” The path from Cooters & Shooters to the Bradford family home is white gravel illuminated by small lights close to the ground.

When we reach the house, I lean her against the wall as I inspect the yard ornaments. “Can you stay right there while I get the hidden key?”

“We don’t use it anymore.” She shakes her head. “Logan installed a special combination lock. Check it out.”

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